(1) Summary of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method using Streptococcus lactis subspecies diacetylactis to rapidly develop a red color in a meat formulation containing a food grade nitrite and an assimilable sugar. In particular the present invention relates to a method wherein the Streptococcus lactis subspecies diacetylactis rapidly develops the red color in the meat at a pH above about 5.3 and then the pH further decreases to about 4.9. Faster lactic acid producing bacteria can be used to more rapidly reduce the pH to below 5.3.